From: Jodi of CondeNet <jshapiro AT condenast.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 12:07:27 -0400

OK, you asked for it, here it is (some hrefs included for clarity):
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I listen to most of my music at work, simply because I am working about 13
or 14 hours a day.  It's the curse of the Web, dontcha know.

Tops of 1997

Full-length (in alphabetical order)

Appendix Out -- The Rye Bears a Poison (Drag City)
This beat out the Will Oldham record because I haven't yet purchased it.

Aube -- Stared Gleam (i>light)/Wired Trap (Self-Abuse)
Two of about 20 records he released this year.

Danielson -- Tell Another Joke At The Ol' Choppin' Block (Tooth and Nail)
I love them, which is probably the biggest irony of my musical tastes. I
listen to them while annoyed at my co-workers and it always makes me feel
better.

Final -- The First Millionth of a Second (Manifold)
Breathtaking in many places.

Frontier -- Heater (tug-o-war)
The studio version of "Now" isn't as showstopping as the one on their live
CD, but you can't have everything.  Frontier are one of those bands people
don't seem to "get", which frustrates me.  There's nothing to "get"!

Edith Frost -- Calling Over Time (Drag City)
Edith makes me cry, often.

Mainliner -- Mainliner Sonic (Charnel)
Even better than _Mellow Out_; Mainliner are loud and heavy and what all
modern psych-noise should be.

Pelt -- Snake to Snake (Klang)
Hippies, sure, but they play with Donald Miller and appreciate the value of
a good e-bow.  Plus Mike is a nice guy.

Pugs -- Pugs Bite the Red Knee (Casual Tonalities)
The nuttiest Japanese band, eclipsing even the Boredoms and Omoide Hatoba.

scanner -- delivery (Rawkus)
That "Heidi" song gives me the creeps.

Silkworm -- Developer (Matador)
A perpetual favorite of mine. I still think Tim writes the best Silkworm
songs, which has absolutely nothing to do with his taste in bass guitars.
Really.

Spiritualized -- Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating In Space (Dedicated)
The album I always hoped they would make, and I wouldn't have even listened
to it had my friend Carl not put it on while I was sick.  I mean really
sick with food poisoning, which ruined my trip to San Francisco.  I guess
it was fitting, since the album packaging looks like pills.

Tarnation -- Mirador (Reprise)
Paula Frazer makes me cry too, but not as often as Edith Frost.

Wu-Tang Clan -- Wu-Tang Forever (Loud 2XCD)
A fantastic record, a cross-promotional masterwork, a so-so multimedia
package.

Non full-length

Sub Dub -- "Dancehall Malfunction" (Asphodel)
A great bassline.

Flying Saucer Attack -- Sally Free and Easy EP (Drag City)
I always loved this song, and FSA give it a great workout.

Laundry Room Squelchers -- 3AM Wash Out (self-released)
Insanity.

U.S. Maple -- Sang Fat Editor (Skin Graft)
Not as great as their album, but still a slice of genius.

Verve -- "Bittersweet Symphony"
This video is great, and the song's not shabby either.

Poster Children -- "DreamSmall" (Reprise)
I'll always love the Poster Children, and this song has most of what I love
most about them in it: a great bass part, slightly doomed lyrics and a nice
trebly guitar part.

Honorable mention to the theme song to South Park (by Primus)
I laugh real hard at this show.


Reissues, because they don't count as new releases:

Lee "Scratch" Perry -- Arkology (Island UK)
The Residents -- Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Huddled Masses (Euro Ralph)
Steve Reich -- Works (Nonsuch)
The Sugar Hill Records Story (Rhino)
Liquid Liquid (Grand Royal)

Other stuff I liked, but not enough to beat out the top 20 because I didn't
listen to it enough: Acetone, Azalia Snail, Bjork, Delta 72, Aerial-M,
Flaming Lips, E.A.R., Pavement.

Live shows that made me happy I went out instead of staying home and
watching Comedy Central:  Hit Points (nutty D&D band that may or may not be
a joke), Willing (two guys from Brooklyn who sound like they're falling
down a flight of stairs), Six Finger Satellite (I hope they continue on
this 'piss off the audience' tip, because it's really funny and they sound
so aggressive that you're physically exhausted after seeing them), Sea of
Cortez (Neil Young cum Jayhawks, almost), Ruins.

Things I want in 1998:
A new Shellac record and subsequent show in New York
Uzeda to tour the US
my picture on a <a href="http://www.netmoguls.com">net.moguls</a> card
an endless supply of Atomic Fireballs
my record label (<a href="http://www.lexiconoclast.com/kyofu">Kyo-fu</a>)
to actually release something
more Pee-Wee Herman toys
to be a "new media" pundit for a little while
a date with either Richard Gere or one of the Hansons (doesn't matter which
one)
a chance to party with the Spice Girls.
a raise
To be a contestant on Win Ben Stein's Money.  I could take him.  I know I
could.

-- jodi

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Jodi Shapiro

Web Developer, Condé Net/Epicurious
www.epicurious.com

jshapiro AT condenast.com/212-880-4607


http://www.lexiconoclast.com